अत्रि¦ m. (-त्रिः) The name of one of one of the seven Rishis or saints, born from the eye of RRAHMA4, married to ANASU4YA4, daughter of KERDAMA MUNI, and the father of DATTA or DATTA4TREY4i, DURVA4SAS and CHANDRA. E. अद to eat and त्रिप् Una4di aff. The correct reading is अत्त्रि, but the word is always written with one त।

अत्रि [atri], a. [properly अ, Uṇ.4.68, अदेस्त्रिनिश्च, अद्-त्रिन्] Devourer; अत्रिमनु स्वराज्यमग्निभ् Rv.2.8.5.-त्रिः N. of a celebrated sage and author of many Vedic hymns. [He appears in the Vedas in hymns addressed to Agni, Indra, the Aśvins and the Viśvedevas. In the Svāyambhuva Manvantara, he appears as one of the ten Prajāpatis or mind-born sons of Brahmā, being born from his eye. These sons having died by the curse of Śiva, Brahmā performed a sacrifice, at the beginning of the present Vaivasvata Manvantara, and Atri was born from the flames of Agni. Anasūyā was his wife in both lives. In the first, she bore him three sons, Datta, Durvāsas and Soma; in the second, she had two additional children, a son by name Aryaman and a daughter called Amalā. In the Rāmāyaṇa an account is given of the visit paid by Rāma and Sītā to Atri and Anasūyā in their hermitage, when they both received them most kindly. (See Anasūyā.) As a Riṣi or sage he is one of the seven sages who were all sons of Brahmā, and represents in Astronomy one of the stars of the Great Bear situated in the north. He is also the author of a code of laws known as अत्रिस्मृति or अत्रिसंहिता. In the Purāṇas he is said to have produced the moon from his eye, while he was practising austere penance, the moon being in consequence called अत्रिज, -जात, -दृग्ज, अत्रिनेत्रप्रसूत, -˚प्रभव, ˚भव &c.; cf. also अथ नयनसमुत्थं ज्योतिरत्रेरिव द्यौः R.2.75. and अत्रेरिवेन्दुः V.5.21] - (pl.) descendants of Atri. -अत्री wife of अत्रि; अत्रिरञ्य नमस्कर्ता Mb.13.17.38. -Comp. -चतुरहः N. of a Sacrifice.

जातः The moon.

Datta.

Durvāsas. -भारद्वाजिका Marriage of descendants of Atri with those of Bhāradvāja.

3) Creator of the pracetases. The sage Prācīnabarhis was born in the family of Atri Maharṣi. Ten Pracetases (Prajāpatis) were born as the sons of this Muni. (M.B., Śakti Parva, Chapter 208).

4) Citra Śikhaṇḍī. Among the seven Munis known as Citra Śikhaṇḍīs, we see Atri Maharṣi as one of the Aṣṭaprakṛtis which form the basis of the Universe.

5) Important events. (1) How Mahāviṣṇu became Atri's son. Kaśyapa had a son named Kaśipu. He was a very mighty ruler and carried on his reign in an ungodly manner. In a terrible battle which took place at that time between the Devas and Asuras Kaśipu was killed. Prahlāda be- came the Asura King. Then there was a battle between Indra and Prahlāda. After six years' war, Prahlāda with- drew, defeated. Later Mahābali, the son of Virocana (grandson of Prahlāda) became emperor of Asuras. War broke out again between Mahābali and Indra. In this war, Mahāviṣṇu helped Indra. The Asuras were utterly defeated. They sought refuge with Śukra, the Asura guru. Śukra promised to help them. He set out to the Himā- layas to receive a powerful mantra from Śiva. The Asuras kept waiting for Śukra's return.

At this stage, Mahāviṣṇu who was the protector of Indra, came to Śukra's āśrama and killed Śukra's mother, Kāvyamātā. Seeing this impudence of Mahāviṣṇu, Bhṛgu Maharṣi was enraged and cursed him that he should be born many times in human wombs. It is on account of this that Mahāviṣṇu had to take many avatāras (incar- nations). It was in this way that Mahāviṣṇu incarnated as Dattātreya, the son of Atri. (Devī Bhāgavata, 4th Skandha).

(2) Atri and Parāśara. It was a time when Vasiṣṭha and Viśvāmitra were in a state of mutual ill-will. Once King Kalmāṣapāda was going about in the forest on a hunting expedition. He met Śakti, the eldest son of Vasiṣṭha in the forest. The King did not respect him properly. Śakti transformed Kalmāṣapāda into a Rākṣasa by his curse. The Rākṣasa who was also a cannibal, first swallowed Śakti himself. Viśvāmitra offered whatever help he could, to destroy Vasiṣṭha's family. Kalmāṣapāda ate successively all the 100 sons of Vasiṣṭha. Vasiṣṭha, in great sorrow and Sakti's wife, Adṛśyantī lived in an āśrama. Adṛśyantī was pregnant at the time of Śakti's death. In due course she gave birth to a boy who was called Parāśara and who later on became the father of Vyāsa. when Parāśara grew up, he came to know that his father Śakti was eaten by the Rākṣasa. Enraged at this, he started a yajña to annihilate the whole race of Rākṣasas. As the yajña gained intensity and force Atri Muni arrived there with certain other Maharṣis and dissuaded Parā- śara from the yajña. (M.B., Ādi Parva, Chapter 181).

(3) Atri's dispute with Vainya. Atri Maharṣi and his wife once got ready to go for Vanavāsa. At that time the poor Maharṣi's wife was in great distress because they had no money to be distributed to their disciples and children. She requested her husband to go to King Vainya and to beg for some money. Accordingly the Maharṣi visited King Vainya at his yāgaśālā (The shed where a yāga is held). He began to flatter Vainya by say- ing that he was the first among kings and so on. Vainya did not like it. He began to dispute with Atri. Vainya remarked that Indra was the first King. To settle the dispute they went together to Sanatkumāra Muni. Sanatkumāra sent them away reconciled. After that Vainya gave Atri much wealth. After distributing all this wealth among their sons and disciples Atri and his wife set out to the forest to perform penance.

(4) How Atri became Sun and Moon. Once there was a fierce battle between Devas and Asuras. Owing to the shower of arrows from the Asuras, the Sun and Moon became dim. Darkness spread everywhere. The Devas began to grope in the dark. They requested Atri Maha- rṣi to find a remedy for this. Moved by their distress, Atri suddenly transformed himself into the Sun and Moon. The Moon gave light to the Devas. The Sun burnt up the Asuras by his intense heat. Thus the Devas were saved. This story was told by Vāyu Bhaga- vana, to Arjuna. (M.B., Anuśāsana Parva, Chapter 156).

(5) Atri and King Vṛṣādarbhi. In the Mahābhārata we find a story about a difference of opinion between King Vṛṣādarbhi and some Maharṣis. This story was told by Bhīṣma to Yudhiṣṭhira about the kind of per- sons from whom Brahmins may accept gifts. Once the Munis, Kaśyapa, Atri, Vasiṣṭha, Bharadvāja, Gautama, Viśvāmitra, Jamadagni, and Paśusakhā, with Arun- dhatī and Gaṇḍā, who were the wives of two Munis, travelled round the world. Their object was to go to Brahmaloka. At that time there was drought in the world. King Vṛṣādarbhi, the son of Śibi, suggested that the above-mentioned Munis should be called and given wealth. They refused to accept it. Vṛṣādarbhi became angry. He performed Homa in Āhavanīyāgni and from the agnikuṇḍa, the Rākṣasī Yātudhānī (Kṛtyā) arose. Vṛṣādarbhi sent Yātudhānī to destroy Atri and all other Munis. As Yātudhānī was guarding a lotus pond in the forest, the munis led by Atri happened to come that way. The Maharṣis were able to recognize Yātudhānī. They beat her with their tridaṇḍu (Trident or a kind of magic wand) and reduced her to ashes. After satisfying their hunger by eating the lotus flowers the Maharṣis went to Brahmaloka. (M.B., Anuśāsana Parva, Chapter 93).

(6) Atri and Śrāddha. There is a passage in the Mahā- bhārata in which Atri gives advice to the emperor Nimi who belonged to Atri's family. The story of how Śrāddha originated in the world which Bhīṣma had told Dharma- putra was retold by Atri. A son named Dattātreya was born to Atri, the son of Brahmā. Dattātreya be- came King. Nimi was his son. Nimi's son died after one thousand years. Nimi who was in deep grief at the death of his son, ordained a Śrāddha in memory of his son. On that occasion Atri Maharṣi came there and explained to Nimi the importance of Śrāddha. (M.B., Anuśāsana Parva, Chapter 91, Verses 20-44)

(7) How Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Maheśvara (Śiva) were born as sons of Atri. There is no other woman in the Purāṇas who surpasses Śīlāvatī in her fidelity to her husband. In order to enable Ugraśravas, her husband, to satisfy his passion, she once carried him on her own shoulders to a prostitute's house. On the way, Māṇḍavya Muni pronounced a curse that Ugraśravas should die before sunrise. The grief-stricken Śīlāvatī pronounced a counter-curse that the sun should not rise on the next day. As the sun failed to rise, the Trimūrtis (Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Śiva), accompanied by Anasūyā, Atri's wife, went to Śīlāvatī. Anasūyā persuaded Śīlāvatī to with- draw her curse. The Trimūrtis who were happy at the success of their mission (of bringing about the Sunrise) asked Anasūyā to demand any boon she wanted. Ana- sūyā expressed her wish that the Trimūrtis (Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Śiva) should be born as her sons and they agreed.

Mahāviṣṇu, under the name of Dattātreya, was born as the son of Anasūyā. Śiva was born to her under the name of Durvāsas. There is a story about it in the Brah- māṇḍa Purāṇa. Once Śiva got angry with the Devas. They began to flee for life. But Brahmā alone did not run away. Śiva who became more furious at this, pinched off one of the heads of Brahmā. Still he was not pacified. Pārvatī who was alarmed, approached Śiva and begged him to suppress his anger. At her request, Śiva's fury was transferred and deposited in Anasūyā, Atri's wife. Durvāsas is the embodiment of that element of Śiva's fury.

According to the promise, Brahmā also took his birth as the moon from Anasūyā, the wife of Atri. (For that story, see PURŪRAVAS). There is a story about that also in the Brahmāṇḍa Purāṇa. Once when Brahmā was performing the task of creation, he experienced carnal passsion. Sarasvatī was the offspring of that passion. When Brahmā saw her, he fell in love with her also. This made him feel angry towards Kāmadeva. He pronounced a curse that Kāmadeva should be burnt up in the fire from Śiva's eye. (This is why Kāmadeva was later burnt to death by Śiva). Although Kāma had retreated from Brahmā his passion had not been sup- pressed. Brahmā transferred his passion to Atri Maharṣi. The Maharṣi gave it to Anasūyā, his wife. Since she was unable to bear such a violent passion, she gave it back to her husband. That passion emerged from Atri's eye in the form of the Moon. This is why lovers experi- ence strong passion for each other at the time of the rising of the moon. (Brahmāṇḍa Purāṇa, Chapters 39-43).

(8) Atri and Gaṅgā Devī. Once, while Atri Maharṣi was performing penance in Kāmada forest, there was a terrible drought in the country. At that time, his wife Anasūyā made a Śivaliṅga of sand and offered worship to it. Then Atri asked her to give him a little water. There was no water anywhere. Suddenly Gaṅgā Devī appeared there and said to Anasūyā: “There will be a hole here. Water will come out of it in a torrent.”

Pure water began to flow from the place pointed out by Gaṅgā Devī. Anasūyā begged Gaṅgā Devī to stay there for a month. Gaṅgā Devī agreed to do so on con- dition that Anasūyā would transfer her Tapaśśakti to her for one month.

Atri was pleased by drinking the water. He asked Ana- sūyā where she got such nice fresh water. She explain- ed to him all matters. Atri expressed his desire to see Gaṅgā Devī. She appeared before him at once. Ana- sūyā prayed to her that Gaṅgā should continue to exist in the world always. Gaṅgā Devī answered that she would do so if Anasūyā was prepared to give her the fruit of one year's Tapaśśakti and of devoted service to her husband. Anasūyā agreed to that condition. Sud- denly Śiva appeared there in the shape of a Liṅga. At the request of Atri and Anasūyā Śiva took his seat there permanently assuming the name of “Atrīśvara”. (Śiva Purāṇa).

9. The Asuras at another time made Atri lie down in a machine with a large number of holes and tried to burn him alive in it. At that time he prayed to the Aśvins and they liberated him. (Ṛgveda, 1st Maṇḍala, 17th Anuvāka, Sūkta 116).

10. Atri was among the Maharṣis who visited Śrī Rāma, on his return to Ayodhyā after the war with Rāvaṇa. (Uttara Rāmāyaṇa).

11. From the navel lotus of Viṣṇu Brahmā was born, Atri from Brahmā, Soma from Atri, and Purūravas from Soma were born. (Agni Purāṇa, Chapter 12).

Atri.--Neither Atri himself nor the Atris can claim any historical reality,[१] beyond the fact that Maṇḍala V. of the Rigveda is attributed, no doubt correctly, to the family of the Atris.[२] The Atris as a family probably stood in close relations with the Priyamedhas[३] and Kaṇvas,[४] perhaps also with the Gotamas[५] and Kākṣīvatas.[६] The mention of both the Paruṣṇī and the Yamunā in one hymn[७] of the fifth Maṇḍala seems to justify the presumption that the family was spread over a wide extent of territory.